150^th death anniversary celebrations of St. John Mary Vianney

(Aug.05,2009): Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, was the special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI for the celebrations of the 150th death anniversary of
St. John Mary Vianney in the French town of Ars. This saint was proposed by Pope Benedict XVI as the model for this Year of Priests. Cardinal Hummes celebrated Mass on the feast day of St. John Mary Vianney on Tuesday at Ars, the town where the saint practised his ministry. The Mass was dedicated for priestly vocations.
Earlier, prior to his departure to Ars for the anniversary celebrations, Cardinal Hummes had written a letter to priests worldwide, calling them to spread the mission of the Lord “in the regions of Christian lands, where,” he said, “many of the baptized have distanced themselves from participation in our communities, or have lost their faith entirely”. The Cardinal noted that modern culture, with its scientific and technological progress, which is currently dominant and fascinates everyone, especially the young, is a great challenge to evangelization, as it lacks an integral humanism which could give it an ultimate meaning. The number of priestly vocations has dropped, as also the number of priests, added the Cardinal, but “we must not be afraid, or remain subdued within our home, remembering what the Lord said to his disciples – “ Go into the world and preach the Gospel to the whole Creation. I am with you always, to the close of the age”.
Cardinal Hummes concluded his letter urging priests the world over, to “go out into the open fields of society, beginning with the poor, and arriving at all levels and institutions of society. Our people, he said want to feel the nearness of the Church.”